Current Reading

Typically I write out my thoughts about a book only after I finish the work. But I am reading three books right now that are excellent, so I thought I would provide commentary as I make progress.

Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places, by Eugene Peterson

Early in the book, Peterson mentions that God is at work around us. God is always at work. In fact the miraculous happens all the time in our daily lives. "The miraculousness of the miracle is obscured by the familiarity of the setting, the ordinariness of the people involved." Lord give me an awareness of your work around me. Peterson says that it is not by fireworks or special effects that God displays his great work, but by His subtle movements around us.

Hidden In Plain Sight, by Mark Buchanan

"Faith has fruit to bear. Faith alone can get us to heaven, but its purpose between now and then is to birth something in us that makes a difference on earth." What am i doing that makes a difference daily on earth? I want to give myself those things that touch eternity. Life is too short to be caught up in those items that don't really matter.

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." Zechariah 4:6 Of the the person guided by the Spirit Buchanan says, "He pays attention to the Spirit's quiet movements like some men do to the stock market fluctuations and others to sports scores.

Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference, by Philip Yancey

This has been a great read on prayer. Yancey will challenge and inspire. He has given me an opportunity to think deeper about my prayer life.
"In three years of active ministry, Jesus changed the moral landscape of the planet. For nearly two thousand years since, he has been using another tactic: prayer." There is more to our prayers than meet the eye. We live in world that puts so much emphasis on the flash and dance, but Jesus taught us that the quiet, personal, and private moments with God are more desirable.